She begrudgingly put her wedding dress in its box, and with a preservation charm, protected it from damage. She was the princess that day. She was the picture of perfection. How she longed to go back to those days. Today, she was Hermione Snape, History Master. She wore traditional robes and her hair was mostly disheveled from lugging around stacks of "Hogwarts: A history" books around all day. Her organization skills were wonderful. Thus, why she was "volunteered" for the task. Severus always did like to see her disheveled.

As she silently cursed her beloved, she came across one book in particular. It was ragged. Someone had spent a very long time defacing it with hearts and initials. She smiled when she realized who the initials belonged to. "H.P + G.W." she said allowed. She thought it was sweet that she found this book today, when the two friends of hers had just gotten married a little over a year ago, just a few months after she and Severus had wed. Now, Hermione was waiting word on when the first Potter/Weasley child would be brought into the world. Harry and Ginny had no trouble getting pregnant. It seemed to happen so fast. But to someone who pined away for one of their own, another's good news seemed to arrive too quickly. She told Severus she wanted to have children, but he found new ways to avoid the conversation every day. This was the day, she thought. She had to tell him.

Hermione found herself penning a note and sending it by house elf to Severus's classroom.

"Meet me at the Great Hall at 9pm. I want to take you somewhere."

And not to disappoint the woman he loves, he showed up fifteen minutes early, carried a rose, and kissed her on the cheek.

"So, where do I have the pleasure spending my evening with you, Mrs. Snape?" He asked. He always took every chance to call her by her…his…their surname. He never thought it possible there would ever be someone to carry the name with him. Let alone, love him.

"I wanted to take you somewhere private, Mr. Snape. And you will just have to wait and see," she chided jokingly. She took his hand and her rose and guided him to the Great Hall entrance. He seemed a bit confused. "Trust me," she whispered.

The large doors opened slowly to reveal a dimly lit interior. Soft hues of greens and silver donned the walls and columns that stood on either side of the hall. There was a single table in the middle of the room lit by candles and the stars above their heads on the enchanted ceiling.

"How did you manage this?" He asked, pulling his jaw up from the floor.

"Albus owed me a favor," she muttered.

"What favor?"

"He found out a secret, and I made him swear not to tell anyone." She started to blush.

Severus, however, started to blush, too. But his redness was started from the sense of disappointment and rage that she had been keeping secrets from him. They had been completely honest with each other. There was no need to lie about anything since he was a quite competent Legilimens. They decided to keep their communication open, rather than resort to invading each others minds for the truth. But, his worries were soon put to ease.

"I know what you're thinking, Severus. And that is why I brought you here. So I can tell you what it is."

He felt the pressure inside his body return to normal. He should have known better. They sat at the table while the house elves served them a special dinner. It was the holidays, and only the four of them had been staying in the castle; Severus, Hermione, Albus, and Professor McGonagall. Having no students to worry with certainly had its advantages.

They were finished with the main course and started on dessert when Hermione had to excuse herself to the "little witches" room. Upon her return, Severus had made the table disappear, and conjured a melodic waltz.

"Dance with me, my love."

"Oh, yes." And she took his extended hand and he began to swirl around the floor. It was a perfect moment. The perfect moment.

"Severus," she began.

"Yes, Hermione?"

"You're going to be a father."